Air line vapor trap

ABSTRACT

An in-line vapor trap for removing water and/or oil vapor from a compressed air line which includes a manifold having spaced coaxial inlet and outlet openings, a hollow base suspended from the manifold, and replaceable cartridges connecting the manifold inlet to the hollow base and connecting the hollow base to the manifold outlet. A honeycomb structure is disposed in the lower portion of the base within the enclosed volume defined thereby and cooperates with the base side and bottom walls to define a zone of substantially zero air movement for collection of liquid droplets. A depression in the base bottom wall forms a liquid sump, and a drain opens into the sump for drainage of captured liquid. This drain features a continuously open annular orifice for continuous weep-drainage of liquid under pressure. The orifice surrounds a wire having an angulated head disposed within the sump which may be rotated by an operator so as to remove dirt and debris from surrounding and clogging the annular weep orifice.

The present invention is directed to devices of a type adapted to removeoil and/or water vapor from a flowing gaseous medium such as compressedair, and more particularly to improved drainage of devices of thischaracter.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,618 to the inventor herein and assigned to theassignee hereof discloses an in-like trap for removing water and/or oilvapor from a compressed air line which includes a manifold having spacedcoaxial inlet and outlet openings and a hollow base suspended from themanifold. A first cartridge extends between the manifold inlet and theenclosed volume within the hollow base and contains a wire pad adaptedto coalesce water and/or oil vapor in air passing therethrough intodroplets which are then entrained by the air and carried into the basevolume. An integral honeycomb structure cooperates with the bottom andside walls of the base to form a dead airspace which captures waterdroplets falling from air entering the enclosed volume from the firstcartridge. A second cartridge, which includes spirally wound fiber andwire mesh materials, directs compressed air from within the enclosedbase volume to the manifold outlet and simultaneously functions toremove any remaining vapor therefrom.

In a commercial embodiment of the device disclosed in the referencedpatent marketed by applicant's assignee under the trademark EXTRACTOR, adepression in the bottom wall of the base forms a liquid sump forcollection of water and/or oil removed from the compressed air. Aconventional drain mechanism, including a T-shaped draincock, is mountedin the base wall depression for selectively draining liquid collectedtherein.

An object of the present invention is to provide a trap for removing oiland/or water vapor from a compressed air line of the described characterwherein the drain is continuously but minutely open during operation soas to permit continuous weepage or drainage of liquid under compressedair pressure without substantially reducing pressure in the main airline, and which includes facility for removing dirt and debris from theminute drain opening so as to prevent or remedy drain blockage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trap with drain of thedescribed character which also includes facility for macro orlarge-scale drainage of trapped liquid.

The invention, together with additional objects, features and advantagesthereof, will be best understood from the following description, theappended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational bisectional view taken in a vertical planethrough the vapor trap of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the trap of FIG. 1 featuring the drainmechanism on an enlarged scale.

The disclosure of above-noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,618 is incorporatedherein by reference.

FIG. 1 illustrates a presently preferred embodiment 10 of a vapor trapin accordance with the present invention as comprising a cap or manifold12 having oppositely directed and coaxially aligned internally threadedopenings 14,16 respectively defining an inlet and outlet adapted forin-line connection to a gas line such as a compressed air line. Aconcave internal surface 18 on manifold 12 internally opposed to inletopening 14 directs inlet air orthogonally of the inlet axis, ordownwardly in the orientation of FIG. 1. In the same manner, a concavesurface 20 opposed to outlet opening 16 receives and directs upwardlyflowing air to outlet opening 16. A hollow base 22 of generallyrectangular construction comprises a bottom wall plate 24 and acontinuous peripheral side wall 25 peripherally contiguous with bottomwall plate 24 and separated therefrom by the gasket 26. Base 22 thusforms an enclosed volume 28 suspended beneath and fastened to manifold12 by the bolts 30. A pair of laterally spaced circular opeings 32,34are formed in base 22 in respective alignment in assembly with the inletand outlet of manifold 12. An integral honeycomb structure 36 isdisposed in the lower portion of enclosed volume 28 adjacent to bottomwall plate 24 and cooperates with the side and bottom walls of encloser22 to define a zone of substantially zero air movement adjacent to theenclosure bottom wall. It will be noted in FIG. 1 that the combs orcavities of honeycomb structure 36 are angulated upwardly and to theleft, that is toward inlet opening 14.

A pair of laterally spaced replaceable vaporizer cartridges 38,40 areclamped by bolts 30 between manifold 12 and base 22 in sealingengagement therewith. Cartridge 38, which is clamped in axial alignmentbetween the inlet section of manifold 12 and opening 32 in base 22,comprises a cylindrical cartridge outer wall 42 and an axially spacedpair of open end gaskets 44 clamped in sealing engagement with manifold12 and base 22 respectively. Within wall 42, cartridge 38 comprises amass or pad 48 of wire mesh fibers of a type adapted to coalesce wateror oil vapor passing therethrough into vapor droplets. Pad 48 in thepreferred embodiment of the invention comprises a so-called "Goodloecolumn packing" of a type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,785. Thedimension of cartridge 38 cross-sectional to air flow is substantiallyless than that of the enclosed volume 28 within base 22. Cartridge 40,which is clamped in axial alignment between the outlet portion ofmanifold 12 and base opening 34, comprises an outer cylindrical wall 50and a pair of end gaskets 44 in respective sealing engagement withmanifold 12 and base 22. Within cartridge wall 50 and between endgaskets 44, and filling the entire cartridge volume, is a plug structure52 of alternating spiral layers of wire mesh or screen and absorbentfabric.

In operation of trap 10 to the extent thus far described, which issimilar in most important respects to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,487,618 referenced hereinabove, air with entrained water and/or oilvapor is received through inlet opening 14 and directed by surface 18downwardly into and through cartridge pad 48. During such passagethrough pad 48, the water and/or oil vapors are coalesced into dropletswhich are entrained in the flowing air mass and carried thereby into theopen volume 28 within base 22. Since the cross-sectional dimension toair flow within volume 28 is greater than that within cartridge 38, thevelocity of air entering the open base is reduced, and the entraineddroplets fall by gravity and centrifugal force toward the lower portionof the base. Such droplets are captured within the essentially deadairspace formed by honeycomb structure 36, with the angulatedorientation of the honeycomb structure in a direct opposite to thegeneral direction of air flow serving to enhance such trapping action.Since the construction of honeycomb structure 36 prevents substantialair movement therewithin, revaporization is substantially eliminated. Inthe meantime, the compressed air stream, which is now 75% to 95% dry, isfed from enclosed volume 28 through opening 34 into cartridge 40. As theair passes upwardly through the fiber/mesh plug 52 toward outlet 16, anyremaining vapor is removed by the fibrous plug material.

In accordance with the present invention, a depression 60 is formed inbottom wall plate 24, beneath honeycomb structure 36 and the dead airspace provided thereby, to serve as a sump for liquid removed from thecompressed air stream. A drain 62 is mounted to and depends from sump60. Drain 62 comprises a drain collar 64 having an external surfacethreaded into a corresponding opening at the low point of sump 60, andan internal bore 66 having a threaded portion remote from sump 60 and aradially enlarged portion 68 (FIG. 2) immediately adjacent to sump 60. Adrain cock 70 includes a hollow tubular body 72 threaded into collar 64,with an internal drain passage 74 passing axially therethrough. Tubularbody 72 has an enlarged head 76 disposed within sump 60. A lateralpassage 80 extends through drain cock body 72 immediately adjacent tohead 76 from internal drain passage 74 to enlarged bore portion 68 ofcollar 64. A pair of opposed complementary conical seats 82 are formedon head 76 and collar 64. A pair of oppositely projecting wings 83 areintegral with draincock body 72 remotely of sump 60 and facilitaterotation of the draincock into and out of collar 64. Thus, withdraincock 70 threaded into collar 64 and sump depression 60 in thephantom position illustrated in FIG. 2, the sump communicates with drainpassage 74, through enlarged bore portion 68 and radial passage 80, soas to drain collected liquid from the sump. On the other hand, withdraincock 70 in the position shown in solid lines in the drawing andhead 76 seated at 78 against the opposing surface of collar 64, suchcommunication and drainage is inhibited. Drain 62 to the extent thus fardescribed is substantially identical with that employed in thecommercial EXTRACTOR trap described above.

In accordance with the present invention, drain 62 is modified in themanner to be described so as to provide for continuous weepage ordrainage under pressure, and to provide facility for unblocking suchuncontinuous drainage in the event of accumulation debris. Morespecifically, an orifice 90 is formed in head 76 coaxially with passage74 and connects passage 74 directly to the sump formed by depression 60.A wire 84 extends through drain passage 74 and orifice 90, and is bentat right angles at the end 86 within sump 60 to prevent removal of wire84 therefrom. The T-shaped head 88 of wire 84 remote from sump 60 has apair of opposite reverse bends to facilitate rotation of wire 84 withinpassage 74 and orifice 90. In a working embodiment of the invention,orifice 90 possesses a diameter of 0.052 inches, and wire 84 is formedof 0.047 diameter wire stock. Thus, a small annular passage,approximately 0.0025 inches in radial dimension, extends around wire 84within orifice 90 and permit continuous weep-drainage of collectedliquid under pressure from compressed air passing through trap 10without substantially reducing such air pressure. In the event ofcollection of dirt or debris in quantities sufficient to clog suchannular weep passage, head 88 of wire 84 may be grasped by an operatorand rotated, with wire head 86 functioning to sweep and thereby clean acircular region of head 76 surrounding orifice 90. Thus, continuousweep-drainage during operation is provided. In the event macro drainageis desired to remove both liquid and debris, for example, drain cock 70is turned into collar 64 as previously described. Such drainagesubstantially reduces air pressure.

The invention claimed is:
 1. .[.An.]. .Iadd.In an .Iaddend.in-line trapfor removing vapor from a compressed air line .[.or the like comprisingamanifold including means defining an inlet and an outlet, and meansbetween said inlet and outlet for directing incoming air downwardly fromsaid inlet and receiving air directed upwardly toward said outlet,enclosure means defining an enclosed volume suspended beneath and spacedfrom said manifold, first means mounted and extending between said inletand said enclosure means for directing incoming air downwardly into saidenclosed volume, said first means including means adapted to promotecoalescence of vapor in air passing therethrough into droplets, secondmeans mounted and extending between said enclosure means and said outletfor directing air from said enclosed volume to said outlet, a drainpositioned in a lower portion of said enclosed volume for drainingliquid collected therein, said drain.]..Iadd., the trap being formed toinclude an inlet and outlet connected to the compressed air line, thetrap including filter means for promoting coalescence of vapor in airconducted through the trap into droplets and enclosure means fordefining an enclosed volume in communication with the filter meanssituated to receive droplets generated by the filter means, theimprovement .Iaddend.comprising .Iadd.a drain positioned in a lowerportion of said enclosed volume for draining liquid collected therein,.Iaddend.a drain collar threaded into a lower wall of said enclosuremeans, a drain cock including a hollow tubular body threaded into saiddrain collar with a drain passage extending axially through said bodyand an open orifice at an axial end of said body connecting said passageto said enclosed volume, a lateral opening in said tubular body whichcooperates with said drain passage to provide a drain path, andcomplementary conical seats on said body and collar to seal drainagethrough said path, drainage through said orifice and passage remainingopen, and a wire extending axially through said passage and through saidorifice, a right-angle bend on an end of said wire within said enclosuremeans for preventing removal of said wire through said orifice, and aT-shaped handle on an end of said wire external to said enclosure volumefor facilitating rotation of said wire, said wire being selectivelyrotatable within said passage and orifice such that said right-anglebend sweeps the end of said orifice which opens into said enclosedvolume for removing debris collected at said orifice and therebyunplugging said orifice and passage.
 2. The trap set forth in claim 1wherein said lower wall includes a depression forming a sump, andwherein said drain is disposed in said sump.
 3. The trap set forth inclaim 2 wherein cross-sectional dimension to air flow in said enclosuremeans is substantially greater than with said first means, such that airvelocity is reduced within said enclosure means and vapor droplets fallby gravity and centrifugal force toward said lower wall.
 4. The trap setforth in claim 3 further comprising a porous structure positioned tooccupy a lower portion of said enclosure volume and having passages foradmitting liquid droplets, and passages cooperating with said enclosuremeans and with each other for substantially preventing air flow throughsaid porous structure so as to define a zone of substantially zero airmovement.
 5. The trap set forth in claim 4 wherein said porous structurecomprises an integral honeycomb structure having passages which extenddownwardly within said volume to said lower wall.
 6. The trap set forthin claim 5 wherein said passages are angulated in a direction opposed toair flow within said enclosure.
 7. .[.An.]. .Iadd.In an .Iaddend.in-linetrap for removing vapor from a compressed air line .[.or the likecomprisinga manifold including an inlet, an outlet, means for directingincoming air downwardly from said inlet and means for receiving airdirected upwardly toward said outlet, enclosure means defining anenclosed volume suspended beneath and spaced from said manifold, saidenclosure means including a bottom wall with a depression forming asump, first means mounted and extending between said inlet and saidenclosure means for directing incoming air downwardly into said enclosedvolume, said first means including means adapted to promote coalescenceof vapor in air passing therethrough into droplets, second means mountedand extending between said enclosure means and said outlet for directingair from said enclosed volume to said outlet.]., .Iadd.the trap beingformed to include an inlet and outlet connected to the compressed airline, the trap including filter means for promoting coalescence of vaporin air conducted through the trap into droplets and enclosure means fordefining an enclosed volume in communication with the filter meanssituated to receive droplets generated by the filter means, theenclosure means including a bottom wall with a depression forming asump, the improvement comprising .Iaddend. a drain including a draincollar threadably receiving in said bottom wall so as to open into saidsump, said collar including a central passage which is internallythreaded at one end and .[.enlarged at.]. .Iadd.has .Iaddend.a secondend adjacent to said sump, a draincock including a hollow tubular bodythreaded into said drain collar central passage, a drain passageextending axially through said body, an enlarged head positioned withinsaid sump and a lateral passage adjacent to said enlarged headconnecting said drain passage to said .[.enlarged.]. .Iadd.second end.Iaddend.portion of said central passage, said enlarged head and aportion of said collar adjacent thereto including complementary conicalseats, and an open orifice extending axially from said drain passageinto said enclosed volume, and a wire having a central body extendingthrough said drain passage and said orifice, a right angle bend at anend of said wire within said volume and a T-shaped head on an end ofsaid wire remote from said volume, said orifice being of sufficientdimension to permit rotation of said wire. .Iadd.
 8. The trap of claim1, wherein the filter means includes a manifold means defining an inletand an outlet, and means between said inlet and outlet for directingincoming air downwardly from said inlet and receiving air directedupwardly toward said outlet, and first means mounted and extendingbetween said inlet and said enclosure means for directing air downwardlyinto said enclosed volume. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The trap of claim 7,wherein the filter means includes a manifold including means defining aninlet and an outlet, and means between said inlet and outlet fordirecting incoming air downwardly from said inlet and receiving airdirected upwardly toward said outlet, and first means mounted andextending between said inlet and said enclosure means for directing airdownwardly into said enclosed volume. .Iaddend.